Regarding inbound tourism, Uruguay registered an increase of 55.5% in the number of visitors compared to the same period in 2022, falling below the historical figure of 2017 by 2.8%.
In total, there were 3,835,041 tourists who visited the country in 2023, generating income for a total of US$ 1,776 million, 27.1% more than in 2022.
As usual, Argentines continue to be the most representative foreign tourists in the country, with an increase of 40.8% compared to 2022 and reaching the figure of 1,646,631.
But the 2023 data leaves several changes in the composition of visitors according to nationalities.
Regarding Brazilians, the year that ended left a historical record of visitors and spending, the highest figure dates back to 2017, totaling 593,057 tourists who arrived with a total expenditure of 334 million dollars.
The same happens with Chileans, where a historical record of visitors is also recorded, reaching 81,891 people, followed by Paraguayans with 57,713 visitors, North Americans with 134,668 people, then Europeans with 187,549, closing with other nationalities from America with a total of 243,678 income.
In all these cases, historical records were recorded, surpassing the data from 2017.
Regarding outbound tourism, Uruguayans traveled abroad 103% more than in 2022. A total of 4,845,426 Uruguayans traveled abroad and spent US$ 1,962 million.
In relation to domestic tourism, Uruguayans registered a record of internal visitors in 2023, reaching the figure of 19,102,466, 8% more than 2022.
The departments of Canelones, Montevideo and Maldonado were the ones that received the most visits, while the month of January marks the record number of Uruguayans visiting other destinations, a total of 2,036,415 people in departments other than their residence.
To achieve these figures, the Ministry of Tourism worked in coordination with the private sector, launched the summer season and carried out multi-platform promotion campaigns in Uruguay, the region and beyond the region.
In addition, it participated in the most important tourism fairs in the region and the world, supported the Municipalities to hold events throughout the country and carried out a strong dissemination campaign on automatic tolls in Argentina and Brazil.
INTELLIGENT TOURISM OBSERVATORY
The Smart Tourism Observatory is a platform or system that collects, processes and analyzes data related to tourist activity in a certain region or destination.
Its main objective is to provide updated and relevant information to help tourism authorities, entrepreneurs in the sector and other actors involved in making informed and strategic decisions.
In this first stage we worked together with ANTEL and the company HG with whom the first data was launched in the event, emissive and receptive windows. This work will continue processing new data and adding information in the coming months.
What is sought with this tool is that everyone can access these data, numbers or answer concerns about the tourist movement that our country has and not only about the entry of foreigners.
MINISTER VIERA AT PRESS CONFERENCE
At a press conference, Minister Tabaré Viera highlighted that “statistical and technical data are available, resulting from tourism for the entire year 2023, which are very important because they show us that we had 3,800,000 non-resident tourists at the end of the year. , which implies not only exceeding the pre-pandemic year of 2019, but also remaining at very similar figures, less than 2% difference with 2017, which was the record year of the last decade in number of visitors.
In this sense, the leader highlighted that Argentines continue to be the main market, followed by Brazilians, non-resident Uruguayans who also enter through different borders, but in addition, there is significant growth in other origins such as Paraguayans, Chileans and extra-regional (United States). United States and Europe), thanks to the commitment and incentive made in these markets.
In relation to spending, Viera pointed out that “we verified growth in terms of constant currency and current currency, but not in the same proportion as the number of visitors grows,” especially in Argentines due to the economic situation in their country. country.
Regarding the Smart Tourism Observatory, Viera expressed that it is a tool (still under construction) that will be available on the Ministry of Tourism website and that will offer data that will be updated in shorter periods than those presented today (which are quarterly). Said data will be updated monthly and in high season, approximately every 15 days, said the leader.
In this sense, Viera noted that all the data that will be presented in said Observatory will serve not only the leaders to plan policies, but also private operators, so that they can plan their own strategy and see where the tourists come from, what ages. they have, what gender they are, who comes most, he summarized.